Airplane parachute flare



@CE. 33, 1931. T, HQEHN ET AL I 1,827,580

AIRPLANE PARACHUTE FLARE Filed April 22 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 13, 1931- T. HOEHN ET AL AIRPLANE PARACHUTE FLARE v Filed Ap ril 22, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented ea. 13, 1931 STATES PATENT; orrlca THURMAN L. HOEHN AND HARRY W'I LLIAM HOEHN, OI LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA AIRPLANE PABACHUTE FLARE Application filed April 22,

vlde an lmproved means for ignltmg the flare after the supporting parachute has opened up and there is no danger of igniting the chute or the shrouds by which it is connected with the burning portion of the device.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the description of the same proceeds and the invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict con- 25 formity with the showing of the drawings but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed'in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a portion of a plane fuselage showing the parachute flare being discharged-therefrom.

Figure 2 is a view in elevation of the flare embodying the present invention showing the opened out parachutes attached thereto.

Figure 3 is a view in longitudinal section f f the parachute flare and the casing there- Figure 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view through the central portion of the flare.

Figure 5 is a view in transverse section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a view in longitudinal section through the flare casing showing the pilot parachute moving therefrom.

Figure 7 is an'enla-rged longitudinal section through a portion of the wall of the main 1980. Serial No. 446,352.

parachute encasing tube at the bottom thereof.

Figure 8 is a view in transverse section of a Iportion of the main parachute encasing. tu e.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals of reference indi cate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral 1 indicates generally a portion of an airplane fuselage, the lower part of which houses a casing or box 2 suitable for the storage of the flare. This casing 2 as shown is of rectangular cross-sectional design, two opposed walls thereof being provided upon their inner faces each with a guide 3 in which a portion of the flare moves when the same is being discharged from the airplane. I

The lower end of the casing 2 is provided with a door which is indicated by the numeral 4-. This door is hingedly attached to the side of the casing in the manner shown and the edge of the door opposite that to which the hinges are attached is coupled to the adjacent edge of the casing by means of a pin member 5 to which is attached a pull wire 5a which runs to the cockpit of the plane to a point where the pilot will be able to pull the wire to release the pin and thus allow the door 4 to swing open. As shown in Figure 1 the hinged edge of the door is toward the rear of the plane so that when the door is released it will swing downwardly and backwardly and will be held back out of the way of the released flare by the pressure of the wind passing along the plane fuselage.

Within the casing 2 there is arranged at the upper end a discharge spring 6 for the flare, the lower end of this spring being attached to a metal disk 7 which is of greater diameter than the casing forming the body of the flare structure, against the upper end of which it bears as hereinafter described.

The flarelproper comprises an elongated cylinder 8, the lower half of which is filled by the chemical which, when ignited, will provide a light b which the area surrounding the flare will e illuminated for the benefit of the plane pilot, any suitable chemical such as magnesium being employed. The 100 body of the light producing chemical is indicated generally by the numeral 9.

At the lower end of this body a powder is placedwith which there connects two fuses 11 preferably disposed at opposite sides of the chemical body and housed in the tubes 12 which lead from thelower end of the chemical body along the outer wall of the cylinder 8 to a point above the upper end of the body of chemical where each opens through the wall of the cylinder 8 so that the fuses: 11v may at this point be exposed upon the interior of the cylinder. At 1 this point a suitable igniting material 13 is p housed. A similar metal disk 16 of heavy construction is arranged within the cylinder 8 in spaced relation to the disk 15, the ends of the fuses 11 opening into the cylinder in the area or chamber formed between these disks. The disk 16 is providedwith acentral aperture 17 for the purpose hereinafter describedand connecting the disks and 16 is a pair of rods each of which is indicated by the numeral 18.

Housed in the chamber formed between the disks 15 and 16 is a block body 19 through which the rods 18 pass freely, the upper and lower faces of the block 19 being covered by the metal bearing plates 20 in the manner shown.

At each end of the block 19, which is of elongated design, there is secured at bowed resilient arm 21 which projects outwardly from the end of the block and, which has attached thereto a strip 22 of an abrasive material such as sandpaper or'the like which, when the block is moved longitudinally of the cylinder on the rods 18, will scrape across the match heads 13 of the fuses 11 and'thus cause the ignition thereof.

A bolt 23 is secured to the body 19 and has attached thereto a chain 24 which passes through the aperture 17 of the disk 16 for atthe main parachute of the device leaves thev casing 8 and opens up as hereinafter delayer of scribed. This will allow the block 19 after being suddenly. released to move rapidly along the rods 18 so that the abrasivestrips 22 will move across the match heads at the proper speed to insure ignition of. the fuses.

Within the cylinder 8 adjacent the disk 16 there is a tube 26 preferably formed of fiber and having the wall thereof longitudinally split at one point as indicated at 27, this split being covered by a sheet of easily torn material 28, such for example as paper or the like.

Within this tube 26 the carefully folded main: parachute forthe flare is housed, this Each end of the cylinder is closed by a frangible material 30such-f0r example as paper so that the main parachute 29 is completely en- 1 cased; The shrouds 31 of the parachute are folded in the lower end of 'the tube 26 and are all connccted' to a-ring .32 to which is attached an elongated cord loop 33 whichextendsthe length of the tube and surrounds the paper strip 28 covering the split 27 of the tube, this cord passing through the paper covering 30' at the lower end of the tube in the manne shown. To this ring the other end of the chain 24 is attached.

- The wall of the cylinder 8 has extended therethrough at the upper end of the main parachute tube 26 a pin 34 which carries a ,spring35 interposed between its head and the outer wall of the cylinder which normally tends to draw it outwardly. This pin, as shown, when projected inwardly, overlies the upper end of the tube 26 and thus prevents its longitudinal movement in the cylinder 8. A transverse passage throu h the pin 34 receives a latchpin 36 to which it attached a pull cord 37 which is carried by the pilot parachute cord 38. As shown, the pilot parachute cord is attached at one end to the top central portion of the main parachute 29 while the other end is attached to the shrouds 39 of a small or pilot parachute 40.

The pilot parachute has attached to the central outer portion thereof a pair of supporting hooks 41 which extend across the upper end of the cylinder 8 and engage in notches 42 in the upper edge thereof in the manner shown, to maintain the pilot parachute in the proper position in the cylinder.

The c linder 8 is provided with a circular series 0 apertures 43 which are disposed adjacent the lower part of the pilot parachute when the same is folded in place in the cylinder. Each of these apertures is housed by a downwardly opening cup like body or scoop 44 which, when the cylinder falls downwardly through the air, directs a blast of air in through the apertures 43 under the pilot parachute to cause it to issue from the upper end of the cylinder.

In order to insure the proper dropping or fall of the flare the cylinder 8 is provided at arachute being indicated by the numeral 29. v

its upper end with a plurality, preferably four, of longitudinally extending fins 45. Two of these fins slide in the guides 3 positioned upon the inner faces of the flare casing 2. In addition to these fins engaging in the guides 3 to insure the proper discharge of the flare from the casing, the lower portion of the cylinder 8 is provided with a pair of laterally directed arms 46, the ends of which are turned as indicated at 47 to position in the guides 3 so that these arms serve as lower control members which keep the flare mov ing in a straight path until it leaves the easing in which it is housed. 7

From the foregoing description it willbe readily ,seen that in operation the airplane pilot releases the flareby opening the door 4 in the lower part of the housing so that the same can drop freely therefrom, the outward movement of the flare being assisted by the spring 6 in the inner end of the housing, the disk 7 which overlies the end of the cylinder 8 having upon its under face suitable fingers 7a which engage over the rear edges of the fins in the manner shown.

After the flare leaves the housing 2 the blast of air entering the casing 8 through each of the apertures 43 will raise the pilot parachute out of the casing and as soon as this has opened up a pull will be exerted upon the main parachute release cord 37 extracting v casing therefor will be lifted from the body 8, the frangible material 30 covering the end of the casing 26 through which the cord 38 passes being sufliciently strong to stand the.

strain to which it is subjected by the pull of the cord 38 thereon. The main parachute will thus be lifted clear of the casing 8 in its casing 26 without being opened to the air and in the course of this operation the chain 24 will be drawn out straight afterwhich the cordloop 33 willtear through the strip 28 covering the longitudinal slit in the casing 26 and at the same time the covering over the lower end of the casing 26 will be ripped open releasing the shroud'lines so that they will be pulled out to a taut position. 'As the main parachute leaves the casing 26 the upper casing covering 30 will be torn loose sothat theicasing will be completelyreieasedand,

' the main parachute may open out to take control of the descent of the flare. When the main parachute opens out a sufficient pull or jerk will be applied to the chain 24 to break the holding wire 23a which connects the'block 19 with the disk 15 so that the block 19 will move rapidly along the rods 18 and thus wipe the friction elements across the fuse heads to cause the same to be ignited.

preferably magnesium. The inteinse heat generated by the burning magnesium melts away the thin metal wall of which the casing 8 is constructed and thus allows the light from the flare to illuminate the vicinity.

It will thus be seen that the igniting of the light producing chemical is the last operation which takes place so that the parachutes are all opened up and the flare is properly descending before this occurs thus obviating any possibility of the chutes becoming ignited and of the failure of the device to properly float downwardly and give a long period of illumination of the underlying surrounding area.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

1. An airplane parachute flare of the character described, com rising a cylinder, a light producing chemical'in the cylinder, a

main parachute in the cylinder, a pilot parachute in.-the cylinder, means for causing the pilot parachute to be blown from the cylin? der after the flare has been released from a plane, said pilot parachute being connected to the main parachute for extracting the same from the cylinder, means for delaying the release of the main parachute until the pilot parachute has opened, and means for .igniting the light producing chemical after the main parachute has been released and has opened.

2. A parachute flare comprising a container carrying an inflammable light producing chemical, a pair of parachutes arranged in tandem within the container one of said parachutes being relatively small and constituting a pilot parachute, a connecting cord between the parachutes, means for directing air into the container beneath the pilot parachute, as the container falls through the air to cause the expulsion of the pilot parachute, ineansj for releasing the other parachute after the pilot parachute has opened to permit the other parachute tobe drawn from the container by the pilot, and means operated by the other parachute after its removal from the container for effecting the ignition of the light producing chemical.

3. An airplane parachute flare comprising. an elongated cylinder body containing ad pair of connected parachutes housed in the cylinder adjacent the other end, means whereby oneof the parachutes will be dis-/ charged from the cylinder ahead of the other,

,means for maintaining the other parachute 1n posltion in the cylinder,'and means normally maintaining the other parachute in the cylinder and actuated by the first parachute leaving the cylinder to release the second parachute, said second parachute following its release shifting said fuse igniting means.

4. A parachute flare comprising a cylinder housing, an inflammable light producing material in one end, means for igniting said material, said cylinder adjacent its other end having apertures formed therethrough, air scoops carried by the cylinder and covering said apertures whereby air will be directed through the apertures into the cylinder, a main parachute, a casing for said main parachute positioned in the cylinder, means for preventing the movement of said casing in the cylinder, a pilot parachute connected with the main parachute and arranged in the cylinder to receive air entering through said apertures whereby the pilot parachute is released in advance of the main parachute, and means controlled by the pilot parachute and operated after its release from the cylinder for releasing the main parachute containing casing, said main parachute operating after its release from the cylinder to activate said igniting means.

5. A parachute flare comprising a cylinder housing, an inflammable light producing material in one end, means for igniting said material, said cylinder adjacent its-other end having apertures formed therethrough, air scoops carried by the'cylinder 'and coverin said apertures whereby air will be directe through the apertures into the cylinder, a main parachute, a casing for said main parachute positionedv in the cylinder, means for preventing the movement of said casing in the cylinder, a pilot parachute connected with the main parachute and arranged in the cylinder to receive air entering through said apertures whereby the pilot parachute is released in advance of the main parachute, means controlled by the pilot parachute and operated after its release from the cylinder for releasing the main parachute containing casing, said main parachute operating after its release from the cylinder to activate said igniting means, and guiding vanes carried by the cylinder to cause the same to fall longitudinally.

6. In an airplane parachute flare, a tubular body having an inflammable light producing chemical in one end thereof, a main parachute folded in said container, a pilot parachute folded in said container behind the main parachute and connected therewith, means for causing the ignition of said chemical upon the removal of the'main parachute from the container, and means for injecting air into the container beneath the pilot parachute as the container passes through the air to cause the removal and opening of the pilot parachute before the main parachute is removed.

7. An airplane parachute flare, comprising an elongated container having an inflammable light producing chemical in one end thereof, a main parachute folded in the container for removal through the opposite end, a pilot parachute in the container removable through said opposite end and connected with the main parachute, vane members projecting from the container at said opposite end to guide the same longitudinally through the air, air scoops covering apertures in the wall of the container and directed toward the first mentioned end thereof to direct air into the container beneath the pilot parachute, and means for igniting said chemical upon the removal of the main parachute from the container.

8. In an airplane parachute flare, a tubular casing housing an inflammable light producing chemical in one end, a pair of connected parachutes encased in the casing for removal through the other end thereof, means for effecting the removal of said parachutes from the casing during the passage of the same through the air, guide vanes carried by the casing adjacent said other end, a housing for the casing resiliently actuated means in said housin having engagement with said vanes to forcibly eject the casing therefrom, and means for igniting the chemical after removal of the parachutes from the casing.

9. In a parachute flare, a tubular casing, an inflammable light producing chemical packed in the casing at one end thereof, fuse elements leading from a point at the rear of the chemical body to the forward end of the casing, igniting heads upon the rear ends of said fuses within the casing, a strik ing element adapted to have longitudinal movement in the casing, frangible means normally holding said striking element in one position, a parachute within the casing designed to be removed from the other end thereof, and connectin means between said parachute and said stril xing element whereby the striking element will be disengaged from said frangible holding means by the parachute after the latter has left the casing, to be moved across said igniting heads.

10. In a parachute flare of the character described, a cylindrical body having an inflammable light producing chemical in one end thereof, a main parachute for the body, a receptacle for said parachute removably positioned in the body, a spring controlled pin member shiftably mounted in and transversely of the wall of the body and engaging an edge of said receptacle, a retaining pin removably extended transversely through the inner end of the first pin, a pilot parachute in the body adjacent the other end thereof and having connection with the main para-.

chute, a connecting cord between the pilot parachute" and said retaining pin, means for removing the pilot parachute from the body,

means for igniting said chemical followingthe removal of the main parachute from the body, and means for rupturing the wall of the main parachute receptacle after the removal of the pilot parachute from the body, to release the main parachute therefrom.

11. In an airplane parachute flare, a tubular casing housing an inflammable light producing chemical in one end, a parachute encased in the casing for removal through the other end thereof, means for effecting the removal of said parachute from the casing during the passage of the latter through the air, guide vanes carried by the casing adjacent the said other end, a housing for the casing, resiliently actuated means in said housing having engagement with said vanes to forcibly eject the casing therefrom, and means for igniting the chemical after removal of the parachute from the casing.

12. A parachute flare, comprising a receptacle, a light producing chemical therein, a parachute in the receptacle, means for igniting the chemical upon the removal of the parachute from the receptacle, a casing for the receptacle formed to discharge the receptacle from one end thereof, oppositely positioned guide-ways in the casing, vanes carried by the receptacle at its rear end and slidably engaging in said ways, and members carried by the receptacle adjacent its other end, engaging in said ways to cooperate with the vanes in guiding the receptacle along a straight path in its passage from the casing.

13. A parachute flare, comprising a receptacle, a light producing chemical therein, a pair of parachutes disposed in the receptacle, one thereof constituting a pilot parachute and having connection with the other parachute and further being disposed adjacent one end of the receptacle, a suspension member connected with said pilot parachute and disposed across the adjacent end of the receptacle to maintain the pilot parachute in a desired position, a casing for said receptacle adapted to have the latter discharged through one end thereof, means in the other end of the casing for forcibly ejectin the receptacle therefrom, said pilot parac ute effecting the removal of the other parachute after it has left the receptacle and opened up, and

means actuated by the said other parachute after its removal from the receptacle for igniting said chemical.

In testimony whereof we hereunto aflix our signatures.

THURMAN L. HOEHN. HARRY WILLIAM HOEHN. 

